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Above: NYC Artist Pedro Silva, Monkey Bars, Public Art
Left: Robert Rooney, Monkey Bars,
(National Gallery of Australia)
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Growing up during the 60's, early 70's in NYC forced one to fish in the pool of imagination and invention regularly after school, during summer, winter and spring breaks. We called on one another to play, and knocked on doors throughout the complex of apartment buildings in Astoria like Christmas Carolers forming a nice sized group along the way. Then on the largest empty patch of grass or cement we opened the floor to vote on what to do next. "Any ideas?" "What do you wanna to do?" "I donno. What to you wanna do?" "I donno!" "How about..." "Lets..."
Unlike today where many children are huddled in doors in front of PC's and Wii's and PS 3's and... we huddled to play touch football. "Hut 1." "Hut 2." "Hut 3." "Hike! Hike! Hike!" We pretended to be superheros, villains, monsters and fair maidens. We went on quests. Like transformers the stoops, alleys, playground monkey bars, garage and trees we could climb became spaceships and dungeons, castles and the Amazon jungle. We fitted metal skates to our sneakers and shoes with a key and grated down the pebbled sidewalk, sharing in laughter and good vibrations that rushed to our brains. And we ran! We ran and we ran and we ran until we were red-faced and out of breath. Winner takes all! High-fives and cheers. We started out with a half block race, then a full block down to the mailbox, then around the block, passing the quiet stretch of single family homes.
In Spanish we have a great expression for going around a city block it is "Dar una vuelta a la manzana." Translated literally it means to "Take a spin around the apple." What wonderful imagery for a kid. I don't know the origin of the expression. The word manzana which means apple is used instead of the word "cuadra," pronounced [qua-dra] which means a city block, only in this phrase. When asked of my whereabouts instead of saying I was running around the block with the other kids I said, "Di una vuelta a la manzana" (I went around the block). Translated properly "Dar una vuelta a la manzana" means to take a stroll NOT RUN around the block, but the neighbors on the quiet side didn't take kindly to our running past their houses so it was just as well to say we just walked around the block to avoid getting into more trouble. I was in first or second grade and loved running ever since though at several points in my life I have taken some long hiatuses. But I'm back.
There are so many things to do in the Big Apple on New Years Eve from taking a spin around it in one of the many party boats offering dining and dancing to watching the ball drop at Times Square or the fireworks display at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza. For those of us who want to bring in the year with "Cheers to Good Health!" the city offers these:
New Year's Eve Bike Ride
(Meet at Washington Square Park under the Arch at 10:30PM)- Free
Jivamukti Yoga School 21st Annual New Year's Eve Celebration
9PM to Midnight- Free
(Mauna- the practice of being silent, broken by chanting 12-12:30AM)
I can't run around the Big Apple, yet. But I have advanced from running around the block ("Dando vueltas a la manzana corriendo") and look forward to ringing in 2010 running with my Daughter and the other Emerald Nuts.
Only 15 hours and 14 minutes to go!
What ever you do be SAFE,
HAVE FUN, CHILL, BE.
Cheers to Good Health to all in 2010!!
LINKS OF INTEREST
New York City's 10 Best New Year's Eve Events
Hut! The Story Behind a Football Interjection, Ben Zimmer, 9/14/2009
More on Robert Rooney's art at the NGA
BTW: Old strap on skates sell from between $4.99 to $99.00 (Wow!)
Wish I kept Mine.
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